When Alexa (26) from Germany joined the Au Pair program, she was excited to match with an incredible host family with three adorable kiddos. After leaving her office job in Germany and arriving in the Seattle, Washington area in August 2024, Alexa settled in as a full-time, live-in caregiver to a six-month-old, two- and three-year-old. She soon found her groove as an au pair, managing the two toddlers and a baby. She also quickly made friends with au pairs in the vicinity and began her cultural exchange experience.
Being an avid traveler in Europe and having visited many countries like Spain, Italy, Greece, Hungary, Montenegro, Albania, and Israel, Alexa knew she wanted to also travel as much as possible during her time in the U.S. So, when her au pair friend, Rika (19), from South Africa invited her on a spontaneous trip to Chicago one weekend, she couldn’t say no! After clearing her vacation plans with her host family, Alexa and Rika flew out of Washington on a Thursday night redeye flight, arriving Friday morning in Chicago. What happened next was not in the travel plans though. Rika lost her purse! Having no money or ID while traveling is certainly challenging. Add being in a foreign country to the mix, and it’s even more stressful. Alexa and Rika spent their first hours in Chicago filing a police report and figuring out next steps to navigate the situation. Once they had taken all the necessary steps, they began a fun day in a new city.
The off-duty au pairs walked around Chicago, visiting touristy spots like The Bean. They took a boat trip and ended their first day with hamburgers in their hotel room. The rest of the trip was filled with exploratory walks and popping into planned places like, The Nutella Cafe, where they enjoyed delicious ice cream.
It was a great lesson for me to take things easy, because if you can’t change it, you can still make the best out of the situation you’re in. -Alexa
Alexa and Rika finally boarded their flight home to Washington after an adventure-packed weekend and returned home Sunday morning. Alexa’s host family picked them up from the airport. After doing laundry, showering, and then taking a long nap so she was well rested for work on Monday, Alexa was grateful for the incredible trip she’d been able to experience with her new friend, despite the unfortunate purse incident.
We asked what her tips would be for traveling since she has been to so many places, here’s what Alexa had to say:
It’s very important to look up some stuff in advance . Know where you want to go, a special restaurant to try or shop to go to. I like to go with the flow, but I am also a little more structured when I visit a new place so I do some research in advance-like on TikTok or Instagram or with some bloggers who have been to this city before. -Alexa
Watch your stuff so you don’t lose anything. Enjoy your time even if you do lose it though. Time is too short to be sad or mad about the things you can’t change. -Alexa
We’re glad you had a great trip, Alexa and Rika! Thanks for sharing your story with Au Pair USA!
